The TENDS crew removed 36 bags of trash and a full sharps container of biohazardous material from the Cedar Avenue and Hiawatha Bridge area, helping create a cleaner, safer environment while building employment pathways for people experiencing housing instability.
At Tasks Unlimited, our Tasks Environmental Neighborhood Detail Services (TENDS) program provides immediate, low-barrier paid employment opportunities for adults experiencing homelessness or housing instability while helping improve the cleanliness and safety of our community. TENDS participants work on projects such as litter removal, graffiti cleanup, snow clearing, and other neighborhood improvement efforts throughout Minneapolis.
Recently, the TENDS crew spent the day cleaning the area around the Cedar Avenue and Hiawatha Bridge, where they removed 36 bags of trash and a full sharps container of biohazardous material from a current encampment site.
The impact goes far beyond a cleaner streetscape. Every shift provides participants with paid work experience, income, structure, and connections to additional supports such as housing referrals, transportation assistance, employment services, and identification assistance. Through TENDS, individuals are taking meaningful steps toward greater stability while making a visible difference in the community.